Ever After
by secretcastle
Summary: Prince Eric married his wife three days after he met her. But after fifteen years of marriage love at first sight was beginning to take a setback to reality. When the woman he turned down years ago suddenly appears on his shore, he begins to wonder whether he made the right decision in his youth. An outtake from "The Queen's Admiral."
1. The Consequences of Marrying a Mermaid

**_Author's Note: _**_This is a side story from my Frozen fanfiction "The Queen's Admiral" written from the point of view of King Eric. While I was developing the plotline for it, this was one of the back stories that came to my mind. It explores the doomed romance between Elsa and Eric and what happened to Eric's and Ariel's marriage._

_This could be a stand-alone story but I recommend that you have at least read until Chapter 5 of the Queen's Admiral to fully understand the context of this story._

**Chapter One: The Consequences of Marrying a Mermaid**

I breathed in the air and let the spray wash over my face. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine myself on the deck of my old galleon with the smell of fish surrounding me while the wind whipped at my hair and turned it hard with salt. My hands missed the feel of wooden railings made smooth by the constant sea water and the ropes that burned my skin when I wasn't careful in making knots to secure the sails to the masts.

I opened my eyes and the dream was gone. In front of me was the wall that enclosed my kingdom's shore and I can only take in the sounds of the surf from beyond it.

It was another day. There was a bridge that needed to be built over the marshlands to get the farm produce to the markets faster. A pipeline for the water system for the fields collapsed last week and needed repairs. And there were the ice imports that needed to be sourced from somewhere else after Arendelle went to war against Weselton. Normally we could do without ice but it was the height of summer and the demand was high. More so in our own household where Ariel in particular couldn't go without her ice treats.

All this meant I would be stuck behind a desk all day studying the plans for the bridge and the pipeline, computing figures on the cost for building and repairs, meeting with those stuffy engineers, and haggling with some Condorian ambassador over ice that I could have gotten from Arendelle for a third of the price. But worst of all, I had to draw in from the royal funds. Again.

It was the most excruciating thing I had to do and I decided to put it off until the end of the day. Carlotta said it was bad luck to draw money at the start of the morning and especially on Mondays. It meant your cash flow will continuously pour out for the rest of the week. I don't really believe her. It didn't matter when I drew money out of the royal funds. They just kept coming out and they barely get replenished at all. It's been like that for twelve years. My financial advisers and I try so hard to keep things afloat but by the end of each year, the public treasury barely breaks even and almost always ends up with a deficit.

It's not that we overspend. In fact, we've cut back on a lot of luxuries over the years. I just about employed every single savings scheme I can think of. But bad circumstances happen. Plagues, drought, occasional outbreaks of infighting from the farmers, and even a simple breakdown of that blasted pipeline can have dire consequences. And that's what really hits me hard. Because when we come to a point of desperation my wife's Daddy almost always ends up bailing us out of debt.

King Triton, ruler of the merpeople, sovereign of Atlantica, and benevolent banker of the bankrupt kingdom of Tastris. I never had to ask him. Somehow he knows when we are at a dire strait at the end of each year and valuable caskets of seaweed, pearls and other sea treasures just magically appear overnight on my shores. Ariel calls them gifts and claims we never need to pay her Daddy back for them—not that we have anything of value to him that we can use to pay him back. What could you possibly pay someone that already owns the sea?

I kept tallies of it though I never told Ariel. Each debt I owed to King Triton was a bruise on my ego that I kept well hidden from my wife, from my daughter, from my people.

It wasn't always this way. I remember when Tastris was a self-sustaining kingdom, a prosperous kingdom. Our fishports were the hub of commerce and we distributed our produce from Arendelle to as far as Corona and even beyond. I journeyed the seas with some of the finest fishermen through winter storms and summer heat. Our haul could fill the royal coffers that lasted two years and leave more to spare.

But that was not possible now. When I married Ariel, I couldn't continue to make a living out of killing her friends so I had to ban fishing. Pearl gathering and seaweed farming could have sustained us. But then two years later when that witch attacked our baby Melody, Ariel insisted on building that wall around our shores for our daughter's safety. And that was when our money troubles started.

It was a long struggle to shift my entire kingdom's industry to farming. My people had been fishermen for generations and very few had solid knowledge of tilling the soil. I myself didn't know a plow from a rake when I first stepped on a field. It wasn't something a king needed to do, but in my case it was. People didn't like the change and they needed an example to follow. So I made that example. I still do. Twice a week I went out and helped the common peasants in the fields. But I always hated it. Every. Single. Time. The feel of the mushy earth on my fingers and the hours of pulling my muscles on the plow under the hot sun was a chore I endured for twelve years. My wife and daughter helped. They would deliver meals and feed the peasants after a long tiring day and they always helped during harvest time. Thought of their monarchs working alongside them eased things with the peasants. At least they were content enough not to revolt against me after I took away their livelihoods so that was a small blessing in itself.

"Good morning Daddy!" my eleven-year-old daughter Melody piped in and brought with her a cup of tea. "Working hard?" She placed the tea on my desk and I inhaled the calming scent.

"Morning sweetheart. You always know when to make my day. Where's my kiss?"

She came up behind me and kissed me on the cheek. "I'm heading off to lessons now. Don't work too hard."

"I won't, I'll see you and your Mommy tonight, okay?"

She gave me one last hug and skipped away. It was like she shone a brief light on my dark mood.

It's all for her. I just need to keep telling myself that. It's all for her.


	2. Apart From Her World

**Chapter Two: Apart From Her World**

It was half past ten in the evening when I stopped my pen and decided to call it off another day. I went to the chambers that I shared with my wife and found Ariel fast asleep. She was always an early sleeper and an equally early riser. Something about the bedtimes under the sea made her that way and throughout her marriage she kept the habit. I, on the other hand liked to burn the midnight oil.

There was a time when I tried to engage her to stay late at nights and talk about our day but she always ended up falling asleep halfway through my stories. Eventually, I gave up trying. The same way I gave up involving her in most of the state affairs.

During the early years of our marriage, I tried to get Ariel to join me in the business of ruling. I set up a desk for her next to mine and tried to have her draft my letters. I showed her the daily ledgers and taught her how to account for the public funds. I brought her to meetings with my council advisers and foreign dignitaries. I took her to official state balls, dinners and sporting events. However, each one turned into a series of failures. Her grammar was terrible, her arithmetic knowledge was almost non-existent and her lack of basic court etiquette during official functions almost made us lose a few trading partners. In addition she was prone to doing the oddest things at the most inopportune moments. She may have stopped combing her hair with a fork but her ignorance over the most common everyday things led her to commit embarrassing mistakes.

I tried to be as patient as possible. I understand that most of the basic skills a person of her status would normally possess here on land were completely alien to her. I hired tutors for her, guided her and encouraged her to learn things in my world. But in the end I suppose things just got too overwhelming. The nobility were particularly vicious with her and I knew it pained her as much as I did when people maliciously laughed behind our backs when she committed a faux pas.

Little by little she retreated to the company of the servants and peasants in our kingdom. Their simple ways made them more accepting of her shortcomings and her natural charm and openness endeared her to them. Her rapport with the peasants was what made the transition of sea-related industries to farming in the kingdom so much easier so I left her to do just that.

Eventually, she cut off ties with the nobles completely and abandoned the desk next to mine. I was left to deal with state affairs and anything that needed communication with the upper classes.

It was a harmonious arrangement. Though at times I wished for someone to talk to about what bothered me in state matters. Grimsby was the closest thing I have but on nights like this I wished it was Ariel who could be there instead of that old beanbag.

I kissed her cheek softly but decided not to wake her. It was just as well. I was still wide awake and wanted to expel my brain on something other than work. I headed off to the library. Maybe a good book will settle my mind.

My library was vast in its collection of books on practically every subject. But tonight I wanted something light. I headed off to a special section where my favorite childhood adventure tales of pirates and sea battles were kept.

I pulled out an old volume I haven't touched in ages. As I did, a piece of parchment fell from its pages. I picked it up expecting it to be just an old loose leaf from the book and was surprised to find it was a letter. I opened it to reveal a neat feminine script.

Elsa.

I read the letter and I felt myself smile. I remembered this one. I received it when I was about 11 years old. She was 16 then. It was the reply she sent me after I told her of the adventures I had during my first three-month fishing expedition. She made a reference to my adventure to a book she read about sailing. She even made a little joke about it that made me suddenly burst into laughter. It was still funny even after all these years.

I re-read the letter twice and it brought back memories of the other letters I received from her through the years. I remembered enjoying them while I was a child. She was so witty when she wrote. She always provided comments to my tales that it made me want to write back to her as soon as I can. She was quite opinionated and I remember arguing with her through letters in just about every subject matter: religion, sciences, politics, history, literature, mathematics. It was strange how a girl who was locked up in her room for most of her life could write with such versatility.

It made me suddenly ponder why I rejected her and stopped writing altogether. It didn't seem to matter much to me then when I did. But now that I think about it my reasons were rather petty and childish.

Growing up they say, puts things in perspective. Becoming King gives you an even wider reach. When I was in my teens, I went through a phase where I resented everything my father did to me. I questioned all his decisions, argued against his orders even to the point of negating everything he said just to prove myself right. One of the sore things between us was the engagement he arranged for me when I was only three years old. I was at the point that I was reading romances and talking to others about finding true love. I wanted it too yet here was an engagement I never wanted already in place even before I could learn how to protest.

And so I began to rationalize things. It didn't matter if Elsa's letters were interesting. She was another instrument of my father's hold on me. How could I possibly marry this girl that wasn't my choice in the first place? Besides, she admitted she never went out of her rooms. Maybe she was a cripple? Or had a disease? Why would I want someone like that to share my life with?

So when the truth came out that she was in fact possessed of ice powers, it gave me the right amount of ammunition against my father. _"See? You engaged me to an ice witch!" _I told him.

I nursed the bitterness with my father but it was Elsa that I struck. I accused her of being dishonest to me on her true condition. A month after my father's death, I sent her the coldest letter in just three lines:

_I am sorry but I cannot imagine spending my life with you. As the new King of Tastris, I am revoking the arrangement my father made with yours. I shall not write again._

She never wrote after that again either.

But now as I held her letter in my hands, I felt a surge of shame and regret that I threw away our friendship over my misplaced anger at my father, whose efforts then I appreciate and understand now that I am in his shoes.

I wonder how Elsa is doing now. I know she is still unmarried and rules her kingdom with her sister. I hear rumors that she has an icy heart and that no man can ever win her. It was just as well that I broke it off with her when I did. Still, our friendship could have survived if it wasn't for my own pigheadedness. But it's too late now. Her nation is caught in a war with Weselton. I prayed that she would survive it. And maybe then I can at least write to ask for her forgiveness.

Of course, she might just freeze my letter as soon as she finds out it came from me.


	3. The Snow Queen

**Chapter Three: The Snow Queen**

"Sire! Several ships arrived at our shores. They claim to be from Arendelle. Their Queen is requesting to speak with you!" one of my men informed me urgently.

I dropped my pen at the mention of "Arendelle" and "Queen." Was this some kind of cosmic joke? Only a week ago I found Elsa's letter in one of the books in my library. I've been recovering and re-reading her letters since. I had a bad habit of using her letters as bookmarks when I was a child so most of them were scattered all over my collection of old tomes and adventure tales. I've been taking out a book each night in the hope of finding and collecting them all. I've recovered nine letters so far. Now she was here, on my shore. Why? Was she here to exact revenge for an offense I did over 15 years ago?

There was only one way to find out. I bolted out of my study and followed the guard. In the hall the servants gathered noisily and expressed deep apprehension. Ariel stood in the middle of the hall. She appeared to be trying to calm things down.

"It's alright. We don't know what they want yet, but I assure you if they attack, I'll contact Daddy right away," Ariel said.

Her last words stung at me. She didn't even think of me first. Didn't she trust me to defend our own kingdom? Did she always have to look to her Daddy to solve things?

I didn't have time to retort for the servants all looked to me when they realized I was there. "What shall we do Eric?" Carlotta asked nervously. "The guards said they have 15 ships and the Snow Queen is with them!"

"It's alright, I'll talk to her," I said. "Maybe it's just a friendly visit. But just in case, get everyone inside. Ariel, stay with Melody in her room and don't come out until I come back. I don't want to unnecessarily alarm the villagers just yet. But be ready with messengers to provide warning at the first instance."

Everyone dispersed to do my bidding except Ariel who held me close.

"Grimsby told me she's the one you were previously engaged to," she whispered. "What do you think she wants?"

"I don't know," I replied. "We didn't exactly part in good terms."

She held me one last time and I kissed her before I left for the shore. My guards were already stationed with crossbows armed and pointed at what was beyond our wall.

I gulped a huge breath and peered down. I expected to see a ghostly pale woman in white given that she had always been locked up in her rooms. And the rumors I've heard over the years describe her as a terrifying snow monster with wild hair and cracked icy skin.

What I saw instead was a goddess.

She had platinum white hair tied in a single braid that sparkled with snowflakes and fell down to one of her creamy white shoulders, partly hidden by the sheer fabric of her flowing blue gown. Her cheeks were rosy and dusted with little freckles that ran across her adorable nose. Red full lips shaped her beautiful mouth. But what struck me most were her eyes. They were the bluest eyes I've seen that stared at me so openly with a look of innocent longing.

"Eric! It's me, Elsa."

Her voice. It was deeper than I've imagined. It was so different from Ariel's lighter tones but it was a wonder all the same.

"Uhhhmmm… your majesty," a soldier that still held his crossbow pointed whispered to me and broke through my thoughts. "Shall we send them off?"

"No!" I gasped. I motioned to them all to stand down. How could I even think of sending away the heavenly creature before me?

"Elsa? Is it really you?" I uttered breathlessly. I couldn't believe this was the girl that I wrote to for years.

She gave a tiny nod of her head. "I need your help. We need supplies, medical attention for our wounded, a place to stay for a while."

Of course she needed help. I suddenly remembered the current state of her kingdom. It was just yesterday that I received word that the Arendelle ships engaged the Weselton forces recently. No doubt this was the remainder of their little fleet. My gaze turned briefly to the damaged ships behind hers and I realized this was a limping navy in retreat. "To escape from Weselton," I uttered. I suddenly felt uneasy with this. Weselton never dared attack us after King Triton sank their invading forces several years ago. But with the Arendelle navy here they may just strike. I don't want to ask Daddy-in-law to interfere for us again.

But how could I possibly disappoint those lovely eyes?

"Go around five kilometers east. There's a rocky side of the land where you can dock your ships. I'll meet you there."

"Thank you," Elsa replied. She said two words and it brought songs ringing in my head.

I watched her ships move out and her gaze never left mine until she disappeared from my view. The moment she did, I ran down the wall and called for my horse and men. I muttered a quick order to Grimsby to prepare for guests and left him stuttering by the castle gates.

I never rode so fast in my life that my men had trouble catching up to me. I reached the rocky cliffs just as they were getting ready to dock. I felt like a child waiting in anticipation for a Christmas present to open. It was unsettling but thrilling at the same time.

I watched as she alighted from her ship. This close I can see her gown seemed to be made of ice but flowed like water. It clung to her skin and showed curves in all the right places. A slit on her skirt gave me a peek of her perfect leg as she walked toward me and offered her hand.

"Eric, it's good to see you at last," she said breathlessly. Her hand was so soft in mine and it was surprisingly warm though a cool breeze seemed to surround her. She smelled faintly of pine.

"Elsa," I gasped her name for a moment before I remembered my manners. "Welcome to Tastris."

"Thank you for accommodating us," she replied. I hate to impose on you on such short notice, but as you can see we're in a desperate situation. My men are wounded and need shelter and care. Arendelle is under siege and we have nowhere to go."

She related to me what happened to her country. How the Weselton Armada attacked them four days ago but she kept them from taking Arendelle by building a wall of ice to protect it. Their ships were now cut off from their own country and they were running for their lives.

I noticed the bandage on her throat and asked her about it.

"It's just a scratch," she replied. "We were boarded during the skirmish. One of the men caught me by the throat but one of my Captains saved my life."

I thought: _What would I give to be that Captain that defended you?_

I realized I spoke the last sentence out loud for she replied to me: "But you can be the King instead that can help me and my men." She gave me an enchanting smile that showed her perfectly white teeth.

"Of course, of course," I said as I felt my face grew hot. "And you shall stay as guests of my kingdom for a long as you need."

I called my people to bring in supplies and surgeons to be sent over for the wounded. I also called for carriages for the Queen and her official entourage to take her to my castle.

While we waited for my staff to arrive, I watched as she directed her people to bring their wounded ashore. She was an imposing figure of authority without losing her feminine gentleness. Occasionally, she stopped to touch the hand of a wounded sailor and to speak a few kind words of encouragement. There was one particular man that was moaning in pain as he was brought down.

"We ran out of morphine yesterday," she quickly explained to me before she came forward to the man and knelt down to his level. "Hold on, Lieutenant we'll have medicines soon," she said to him. "In the meantime, let me try this. It might sting for a little bit but it will ease the pain until then." She held her hand above his wound and ice crystals formed on her palm to cool the man's wound.

"Thank you, your majesty," the man told her with clear gratitude in his eyes.

"Rest well, Lieutenant. Would you like some ice chips to refresh you?"

The soldier nodded. She created tiny chips of ice on her hand. She slowly fed the man with them.

I was astonished with the way she used her powers. She was no monster like the rumors said. She was an angel with a beautiful gift that she uses to help others.

She ensured everything was taken care of before she allowed herself to board the open carriage I offered. We spoke non-stop throughout the journey to the castle. I was so eager to show her around while she seemed to be interested in everything I said. She was just like her letters: clever and witty with a dash of good humor.

The castle servants managed to come up with a quick welcome ceremony. I can tell they were all wary of the famed Snow Queen. But Elsa quickly put them all at ease with perfect grace and matching compliments that even Ariel willingly played hostess for once. Elsa's companions were equally delightful guests and one particular handsome Arendellian Captain went even further as to coax Melody to come out of her shell.

Dinner was a pleasant affair. It was so refreshing to have Elsa around. She talked about literature, music and art that I was just fascinated by her intelligence. I haven't enjoyed a good conversation like this in ages. On the other side of the table, Melody was clearly taken by the good Captain Westergard who told so many stories about his sea adventures. Even Ariel seemed to be at ease with him despite his bearing and manner of speech that betrayed he grew up from a noble household.

When dessert was brought it, I realized dinner was ending soon. But I couldn't bear to let this evening with Elsa end. I was just thinking of ways to invite her for a longer talk when she leaned close to me and whispered:

"Eric, I heard you have some beautiful gardens in your castle. Would you mind very much if you gave me a tour? Maybe we can talk some more? We can catch up on old times—just the two of us."

"Yes!" I said almost too eagerly before I checked myself. "I mean I would love to take you on a tour."

_She wants to be alone with me! _It was the first thing my brain came up with before admonishing myself to not get my hopes up. I did remember I was the one that offended her. Maybe she was going to give me a piece of her mind.

But her intoxicating smile belied otherwise. I couldn't wait for dinner to end.

**Author's Note:** So Eric finally meets Elsa. The next few chapters will be at parallel with some of the events in the Queen's Admiral so you get to see what happened on those instances that I hinted from that other story.

I think some of my readers were confused on whether the Queen's Admiral is over yet as of Chapter 25, it's not. There's still a long way to go but that chapter marks the end of the Arendelle war in focus and the succeeding chapters will mostly continue on the normal timeline in Fredrik's POV. I'll try to have the next chapter uploaded soon.


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